Shipwrecked: Writing Prompt #23-Read the story of Richard Parker and Tom Dudley. Is what Dudley did defensible? What would you have done?

What would I do if shipwrecked on a lifeboat with no food and water for many, many days? I would like to think that I would be strong and admirable like Louis Zamperini, but I can’t really say for sure what I would do or how I would react in that extremely stressful situation.  I do know that I can’t imagine doing what Dudley did, and I don’t believe I could eat another person at all, even if they had died of natural causes, but I have also NEVER gone hungry nor do I know what straving to death would do to my mental state. 

What do I know? I know that I am capable of making mistakes and doing things I say I’d never do.  I’ve compromised my own values and rules more than I care to admit in my short 39 years in this life. I am FAR from perfect, but I think that’s what makes me most human. Because I’ve made mistakes and compromised myself at times, I can relate to more people in this world.  I can relate to Peter and David in the Bible, who were both men God held close to his heart.  If God can love these men, men who denied His son, men who murdered and cheated and made terrible choices, but had good intentions and whose hearts were in the right place, He can love me too, despite all my human inadequacies. 

Psalm 51: A Prayer of Repentance

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

Have mercy upon me, O God,

According to Your lovingkindness;

According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,

Blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

And cleanse me from my sin.

For I acknowledge my transgressions,

And my sin is always before me.

Against You, You only, have I sinned,

And done this evil in Your sight—

That You may be found just when You speak,

And blameless when You judge.

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,

And in sin my mother conceived me.

Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,

And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Make me hear joy and gladness,

That the bones You have broken may rejoice.

Hide Your face from my sins,

And blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from Your presence,

And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,

And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,

And sinners shall be converted to You.

Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,

The God of my salvation,

And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.

O Lord, open my lips,

And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.

For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;

You do not delight in burnt offering.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,

A broken and a contrite heart—

These, O God, You will not despise.

Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion;

Build the walls of Jerusalem.

Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness,

With burnt offering and whole burnt offering;

Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.